


Her Name was Sunshine

by lazykanojo



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 3
Genre: F/M, Minor Character Death, Minor Violence, Not Beta Read, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-08-30 03:45:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16757056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lazykanojo/pseuds/lazykanojo
Summary: ~~~~~~on hiatus~~~~~~Charon's had a lot of employers, more than he could ever count nor really remember.  Until one day, a young fresh-out-the-vault woman buys his contract from Ahzrukhal.  Little did he know just how much this woman would change his life.  But heroes aren't always meant to last forever, huh?





	Her Name was Sunshine

**Author's Note:**

> After Sunshine buys Charon's contract, the two make their way to her home-sweet-home in Megaton after a long journey from the Underworld. From there, Charon gets acquainted with his new home and the oddities Sunshine has collected.

Toys. So many god damn toys.

That was the first thing that came to Charon’s mind when he first entered Sunshine’s house in Megaton. Her house was filled to the brim of pre-war toys, kept in almost pristine condition. Well, pristine as over 200-year-old toys could get anyways. 

_Speak freely_ , her words echoed in his mind when she first acquired his contract.

“Mistress,” Charon cleared his throat, “If I may ask, why do you have so many toys?”

Sunshine looked pleased with his question, her eyes sparkled, “I like them, I like to collect them and fix them up when I can. However, I’m saving them all for the kids in Little Lamplight.”

“Little Lamplight?” He pondered.

“You’ve never been?” Sunshine neatly took off her boots and placed them by the doorway, ushering Charon to come in and do the same.

Charon grunted, “Can’t say I have.” Many of his employers didn’t waste time on something as frivolous as children. He walked in the house and took his boots off as prompted.

Sunshine set her stuff down and took Charon’s stuff for him and placed them by the dining table. She hummed a little as she settled down and proceeded to grab two Nuka-Colas from her fridge. Her Mr. Handy buzzed around and welcomed her home and greeted Charon as well.

“Little Lamplight is a small community of children,” She handed Charon a bottle of Nuka-Cola, “It used to be a pre-war cave attraction near Vault 87. A bunch of kids went for a school field trip when the bombs dropped.”

Charon opened his bottle and took a swig of the pre-war soda while Sunshine was surprisingly almost done with hers. He didn’t even notice she had already opened hers. 

“Eventually the adults all died out or left, leaving the kids to fend for themselves.” Sunshine sighed as she leaned against the kitchen counter, “So it’s just been a community for kids. They do well for themselves though. However, once you turn sixteen they kick ya out.” She chuckled.

“They don’t trust adults very much,” She continued, “But they like me for helping them out. I play tag with them and read them stories. Makes me feel very motherly even though I’m only nineteen.

“Anyways! It’s getting late and we’ve got some things to do tomorrow! You can have the guest bedroom upstairs; my room is at the end of the hall opposite to it.” Sunshine yawned before heading up the stairs and bidding Charon goodnight. 

_Act freely_ , another set of her words echoed in his mind, although it contradicted with the contract. But possibly in this sense, it was okay to make her house his home as well. Not many of his former employers gave him that luxury, in fact Charon couldn’t recall a single employer who did so. 

He looked around the house, avoiding the eyes of the creepy antique dolls and bears. Their beady, empty gaze stared into his flesh and made him shudder. Charon wasn’t afraid of much except for when he disobeyed his employer or acted outside of the contract but seeing all these toys gave him the heebie jeebies. 

_How can she live like this?_ He thought to himself as he sauntered around, toys everywhere he looked. He wanted to make a good mental note of where everything was in this house. He needed to know his employer’s environment everywhere they went. In case something happened -- in case they couldn’t fight back -- it was good to know where everything was and where everything could be. Things like a potential escape route, medical supplies and their whereabouts, etc… They were all important. 

Most importantly, however, was that someone’s house could tell a lot about the owner. How they lived can say a lot about their personality. In Sunshine’s case, it was clean. Very clean. Aside from the toys, various collections of antiques were neatly placed on shelves, which filled much of the space of the already small house. This place was very hazardous for a hulking giant such as Charon. 

He saw all sorts of things she collected; broken and cracked China plates she put back together and cleaned till they gave their porcelain shine, old lamps and radios put back together as well and looked as if they could work if Charon turned them on, old magazines neatly placed in plastic covers, old books dusted off and placed on shelves, old pre-war photographs of people she definitely didn’t know but had framed and put them on display anyways. 

It was obvious that Sunshine liked to keep things tidy and organized, Charon had noticed during their travels. She looked fragile and delicate too, but she surprisingly could handle her own. Charon remembered during the trip to Megaton she would tell stories of her vault life, not that he cared. He preferred that his employer didn’t speak at all. However, he remembered she told him that she would get in fights frequently with some boys who would bully her and her friend. She was no stranger to pain. She noted that she even enjoyed fighting, it was something to take the edge off from her stuffy vault life. When she left the vault, it took her a while to get adjusted to the harsh and dirty life that the Wasteland was equipped with. She took much comfort in her home in Megaton, as it was a place she could keep clean and keep herself clean. 

Charon shook his head, pushing her and her stories from his thoughts. He yawned, although he hardly ever got tired anymore, her inviting him to a comfy bed stirred something in him. He never slept, employers didn’t really allow him to and mainly had him keep watch or guard them as they slept. Charon made his way up the stairs, careful not to bump into any of his employer’s collections. He found the guest room and entered it.

There wasn’t much in it, just a bed and a dresser. He was surprised she didn’t expand her collection to this room, but he was a little thankful. He didn’t think he could sleep with the toys watching him. 

Charon took off his armor and undressed down to his underwear and a dirty T-shirt. For the first time in a very long time, he could relax. The bed sunk as he sat down on the edge of it and embraced the comfy mattress and the soft makeshift blankets. 

He was a little weary and untrusting of his employer still, but since she bought his contract from Ahzrukhal, she’s shown nothing but kindness towards him. Hell, buying the contract from that bastard was a kindness. 

_She bought your contract. You’re still her slave._ A thought bounced in his mind.  
_It doesn’t make her any better than the others._ It was right.

But he hasn’t had an employer whose been this kind to him in forever, not like he really deserves it. He doesn’t, but she offers it anyways. She treats him with respect. She doesn’t look at him like he’s a monster. She didn’t do that to any of the ghouls in the Underworld. She acted like they were all her friends, except for Ahzrukhal. 

He remembered when she sat down to read the contract. He had just killed Ahzrukhal, his former employer had splattered everywhere behind the bar. Everyone was in a panic, but she just sat down and studied the paper, unfazed by the chaos that had just ensued. Unfazed by the man’s brains splattered on the floor and walls. She knew he had it coming. He waited patiently by her side, until she got up and put the paper away in her pack. She dusted herself off and turned at him, smiling brightly before walking out of the bar and the Underworld itself, with Charon right behind her. 

Charon was a little surprised that his new employer had not asked about the contract at all, unlike all the others. It was better this way, probably. No questions, no clarifications, just a simple understanding. She didn’t order him around though. The only “order” she’s given him thus far was to “speak freely, act freely.” He wanted to argue about how contradictory that was to the contract, but she only shook her head, pressing a single finger on her lips while smiling. 

Charon laid in bed and pondered about the events that had passed since Sunshine had bought his services. She was strange, kind, naïve, shy, but tough. She was great at repairing things and people, a good sniper, and she’s not afraid to bring justice upon those who deserve it. She even quipped that she could have dealt with Ahzrukhal herself but didn’t want to cause any trouble to the rest of the Underworld residents. He’s watched her when they fought raiders and slavers, bringing them no mercy. It was like seeing someone completely different than the short young vault woman who bought his contract. In a way, some could say she was what the Wasteland and its people needed but didn’t deserve. 

If she could handle her own, then why did she even buy him?

Perhaps that was a question for another time. Charon’s eyes felt as heavy as his mind did with all his thoughts, and eventually he drifted off to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Been reading a lot of Charon fics lately and decided to write one of my own starring my Lone Wanderer, Sunshine!
> 
> Its a weird way to start in what feels like the middle of a story, not exactly introducing how they met or talking about their journey from the Underworld to Megaton. I don't exactly find that important at the moment, but it will be mentioned and revisited later.


End file.
